Petrol tax reduction could offset road tolls

Prime Minister John Key says petrol taxes could be reduced to offset the costs of proposed road tolls in Auckland.

Mr Key said today that direct charging for road users, which is now being considered by the Government and Auckland Council, was not about "socking it to the consumer" and could be matched with reductions in other levies.

He made the comments after the Labour Party warned that road tolls could cost regular Auckland commuters up to $10 a day, or $2500 a year.

A joint Government-Auckland Council report released yesterday said that road charging was needed to fix the city's worsening gridlock.

Speaking to reporters in Tauranga this morning, Mr Key talked down the possibility of tolling in the near future, saying no commitment had been made and there were big technological hurdles to overcome.

"What we are saying is they are potentially an option," he said.

Mr Key was also at pains to emphasize that any direct charges were not meant to raise revenue.

"It's not about socking it to the consumer with more costs, it's about changing the behaviour of what they do."